Yankees Sign Carlos Beltran to Three-Year Deal

Oct 26, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran (3) waves to the crowd as he is honored with the Roberto Clemente Award before game three of the MLB baseball World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium. Tannen Maury/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Oct 26, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran (3) waves to the crowd as he is honored with the Roberto Clemente Award before game three of the MLB baseball World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium. Tannen Maury/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Outfielder Carlos Beltran is returning to New York, this time as a member of the Yankees after the Bombers inked the Cardinals’ playoff star to a three-year, $45 million deal, per ESPN.

Beltran, 36, reportedly accepted less money than he was offered by at least two other teams to sign with the Yankees. The Diamondbacks offered Beltran three years for more money while another unnamed team offered him three years for $48 million. Beltran has played in New York before, anchoring the Mets outfield from 2005 to 2011.

The outfielder has spent the last two seasons in St. Louis where he put up a .282/.343/.493 line with 56 home runs, 181 RBI, 56 doubles, and 162 runs over 296 games. Beltran was especially key in the playoffs, hitting five home runs, nine doubles, and driving in 21 runs over 29 post-season games with the Cards.

Beltran is the second top outfielder to sign with the Yanks this week as he’ll join former Boston speedster Jacoby Ellsbury who signed a seven-year, $153 million deal to move to the Bronx. The Yankees have also added former Braves catcher Brian McCann while losing Robinson Cano to the Mariners and Curtis Granderson to the Mets. The Yankees will have to forfeit compensatory draft picks to the Red Sox, Braves, and Cardinals but will get their own compensatory picks from the Mariners and Mets.